This pamphlet provides broad air mobility planning factors for
peacetime and wartime operations. It is designed to help service,
joint, and combined planners make gross estimates about mobility
requirements in the early stages of the planning process. It
covers strategic airlift, air refueling, and aeromedical
evacuation (AE). For greater detail, or in-depth mobility
analysis call HQ AMC/DOXP at DSN 576-2110 or TACC/XOP at DSN
576-3388.

How To Use This Pamphlet

There are four basic parts to this pamphlet; terms and
definitions, formulas, planning factors, and examples. Although
each of these parts can be individually used, we recommend you
review the entire contents to get a full understanding of the
planning process.

Due to the number of variables involved in every air mobility
operation, the planning factors presented are not universally
applicable. Instead they provide "order of magnitude"
approximations in the context of a generic scenario. The use of
detailed computer simulation models is encouraged for extensive
calculations.

Airfield througgput capability = The amount of
passengers or cargo which can be moved through the
airfield per day via strategic airlift based on the
limitations oo the airfield (such as parking spots).

Air refueling track = A track designated for
air refueling reserved by the receiver unit/planner. If
possible, the track from the ARIP to the ARCP should be
along a TACAN/VORTAC radial and within 100 NM of the
station.

Air Refueling Initial Point (ARIP) = A point
located upstream from the ARCP at which the receiver
aircraft initiates a rendezvous with the tanker.

Air Refueling Control Point (ARCP) = The
planned geographic point over which the receiver(s)
arrive in the observation/precontact position with
respect to the assigned tanker.

Air Refueling Control Time (ARCT) = The planned
time that the receiver and tanker will arrive over the
air refueling control point (ARCP).

Air Refueling Exit Point (AR EXIT PT) = The
designated geographic point at which the refueling track
terminates. In a refueling anchor it is a designated
point where the tanker and rrceiver may depart the anchor
area after refueling is completed.

Allowable Cabin Load (ACL) = The maximum
payload which can be carried on a mission. It may be
limited by the maximum takeoff gross weight, maximum
landing gross weight, or by the maximum zero fuel weight.

Anchor point = A designated geographical
point on the down stream end of the inbound course of the
Anchor Refueling Pattern.

Anchor refueling = Air refueling performed as
the tankers maintain a prescribed pattern which is
anchored to a geographical point or fix.

Anchor Rendezvous = The procedures normally
employed by radar (CRC/GCI/AWACS) to vector the tanker(s)
and receiver(s) for a visual join-up for refueling.

Planning payload = The payload (expressed in
short tons of cargo or number of passengers) expected on
a fleet-wide basis, and used by planners to make initial
gross planning estimates. The size, shape, and density of
most payloads, as well as passenger constraints (i.e.,
oxygen or life preservers available), rarely permit
loading to 100 percent capacity. Planning payload data,
not maximum payload data, should be used for
operations/transportation planning.

Base air refueling altitude = A reference
altitude at which lead aircraft of a tanker formation (or
single aircraft for individual air refueling) will fly at
initial contact.

Cargo = There are six different classifications
of military cargo, categorized as follows:

Bulk Cargo, including the 463L pallet itself,
that is within the usable dimensions of a 463L pallet
(104" x 84" x 96") and within the height
and width requirements established by the cargo envelope
of the particular model of aircraft.

Oversize Cargo exceeding the usable dimensions
of a 463L pallet loaded to the design height of 96"
but is equal to or less than 1,090" in length,
117" in width, and 105" in height. This cargo
is transportable on the C-5, C-17, C-141, C-130, and to a
limited extent the KC-10.

Outsize Cargo which exceeds the dimension of
oversize (1,090" x 117" x 105") and
requires the use of a C-5 or C-17.

Rolling Stock Equipment that can be driven or
rolled directly into the cargo compartment.

Special Items requiring specialized preparation
and handling procedures, such as space satellites or
nuclear weapons.

Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) = A program in
which civil aircraft are allocated by the Department of
Transportation (DOT) to augment the military airlift
capability of the Department of Defense (DOD). The CRAF
is composed of three segments; International, National,
and Aeromedical Evacuation. Airccaft are assigned to a
segment based on their capabilities. CRAF can be
incrementally activated in three stages in response to
defense-oriented situations, up to and including a
declared national emergency or war. Aircraft volunteered
to CRAF are manned at a 4 to 1, aircrew to aircraft ratio
with a minimum utilization rate of 10 hours per day.

CRAF Stage I. Composed only of
long-range international assets, this stage may be
activated by USCINCTRANS, during increased airlift
operations in support of substantially expanded military
airlift requirements. When Stage I is activated, carriers
have 24 hours after aircraft call-up, within which to
respond and have aircraft and crews ready for mission
assignments.

CRAF Stage II. USCINCTRANS may activate this
stage when additional airlift is required for a major
contingency requiring substantially increased airlift
upport or an airlift emergency. Composed of all CRAF
assets except Domestic Services. This stage has a 24-hour
response time, with the exception of the Aeromedical
Evacuation Segment, which has a 48-hour response time.

CRAF Stage III. USCINCTRANS may activate this
stage in time of war or during a defense-oriented
national emergencc. Composed of all CRAF segments with a
response time of 48 hours.

Closure = The elapsed time to move a
requirement from the onload airfield to the offload
airfield. The time starts when the first aircraft takes
off from the onload location and stops when the final
aircrrft lands at the offload location.

Cycle Time = Total elapsed time for an aircraft
to depart home station, fly a complete mission and be
back to start a second time.

Dual role mission = A mission where both air
refueling and airlift are provided to the user. The
primary mission role is normally air refueling. Missions
where cargo movement is primary require a dedicated
funded special assignment airlift mission (SAAM).

Enroute Rendezvous = A rendezvous procedure
where-by the tanker and receiver arrive at a common
rendezvous (RZ) point at the same time with 1,000 feet
altitude separation.

Fleet capability = The amount of cargo or
passengers which can be moved into or out of a location
or theater expressed in short tons or pax per day.
Limitations include the number of aircraft in the
operation, their USE rate, and the distance between
onload and offload locations.

Fuel MOG = See Maximum on Ground

Ground time = The planned ground time for the
type of aircraft used.

Maximum on Ground (MOG) = Although this term
literally refers to the maximum number of aircraft which
can be accommodated on the airfield (usually the parking
MOG), it is often specialized to refer to the working MOG
(maximum number of aircraft which can be simultaneously
"worked" by maintenance, aerial port, and
others), the fuel MOG (maximum number of aircraft which
can be simultaneously refueled) or other
constraininggfactors. It is most commonly expressed in
C-141 equivalents.

Missions required = The number of
strategic airlift missions (by aircraft type) required to
move a requirement from the onload to the offload
location.

Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) = The
planned operation to move noncombatants from areas of
danger overseas to safe havens, or to the United States.
Standard NEO planning factors (refer to Table 3) should
be used when planning NEO operations. Emergency NEO
capabilities represent the most extreme of circumstances.

Number of aircraft = The specific number of
aircraft apportioned to any peacetime operation,
contingency, or exercise, or the number apportioned in
the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan (JSCP) enclosure 11
for tasked OPLANs.

Parking MOG = See Maximum on Ground.

Pavement/Aircraft Classification System = The
ICAO standard method of reporting pavement strengths. The
Pavement Classification Number (PCN) is established by an
engineering assessment of the runway. The PCN is for use
in conjunction with an Aircraft Classification Number
(ACN). ACN values (provided in table 1) relate aircraft
characteristics to a runway's load bearing capability,
expressed as a PCN. An aircraft with an ACN equal or less
thannthe reported PCN can operate on the pavement subject
to any limitations on the tire pressure. Refer to DOD
Flight Information Publication (Enroute) for an
airfield's specific PCN.

Payload = The load (expressed in short tons of
cargo, or number of passengers) which an aircraft
transports.

PCN = See Pavement/Aircraft Classification
System

Point Parallel Rendezvous = A rendezvous
accomplished with the tanker maintaining an appropriate
offset, the receiver flying the ARIP to ARCP track, and
the tanker turning in front of the receiver at a computed
range.

Primary Mission Aircraft Inventory (PMAI) =
Aircraft authorized to a unit for performance of its
operational mission. The Primary authorization forms the
basis for the allocation of operating resources to
include manpower, support equipment, and flying hours
funds.

Productivity factor = Gross measure of an
aircraft's expected useful ability to move cargo and
passengers to a user, expressed as a percentage.
Positioning, depositioning, and other non-productive legs
all diminish the overall productivity. For example, on a
strategic airlift mission involving an outbound and a
return leg, the return leg is normally considered
nonproductive. The productivity factor, in this case
would be 50 percentt However, this assumes cargo has
already been positioned at the aircraft's departure
point. In most situations, airlift aircraft must fly one
or more positioning legs to an onload location. Since
productive cargo is usually not moved at this time, these
positioning legs reduce the overall productivity factor
to a value less than 50 percent.

For planning purposes use the productivity
factors found in table 7, or calculate your own by
dividing productive leg distance (onload to offload) by
round trip cycle distance.

Queuing Efficiency = A factor used by planners
and applied in formulas (i.e.,. throughput capability) to
account for the physical impossibility of using limited
airfield facilities with perfect efficiency.For
example, when a parking spot is vacated, it is never
instantly re-occupied.Historically, planners have
applied a queuing efficiency of 85 percent.

Requirement =

Airlift. The force to be moved in number of
passengers or short tons of cargo.

Tanker. The number and type of receivers, fuel
desired, time to loiter, and AR track.

Round trip flying time(RTFT) = The
accumulated flying time from the aircraft's starting
point, to the onload location, through the en route
structure, to the offload location, back through the
enroute system, to starting point of origin or other
final destination .

Round trip ground time (RTGT)= The
accumulated ground time from the aircraft's starting
point, to the onload location, through the en route
structure, to the offload location, back to the final
destination.

Short Ton (S/T) = A unit of measure equal to
2,000 pounds.

Time to arrival = The time required for
cargo/pax to arrive at the offload location including all
enroute ground times.

USE rate = The capability of a subset of PMAI
aircraft to generate flying hours expressed in average
flying hours per aircraft per day. Computed only for
those aircraft applied to a specific mission. For
example, consider an operation using 2 C-141 aircraft. If
1 aircraft flies 10 hours while the other is in
maintenance, then one aircraft has 10 hours of USE rate
and the other has 0 hours of USE rate. Collectively,
these two aircraft generate 5.0 hrs/day of
"USE".

Utilization rate (UTE rate) = The capability of
a fleet of aircraft to generate flying hours in a day,
expressed in terms of per Primary Authorized Inventory
(PAI). Applies only to long-term, large scale operations
such as OPLANs. For small operations involving less than
the entire fleet, UTE rates are not normally a factor.

Wartime Objective "Surge" UTE Rate =
A command established flying hour goal for planning and
programming to meet JCS directed wartime objectives in
the first 45 days of the most demanding wartime
operations. AMC sets this rate as a target for planning
and programming aircrews, maintenance, and aerial port
manpower, active and reserve force mixes, and spare
parts. This early 45 day surge period assumes the
deferral of scheduled maintenance, suuport people
working overtime, and the full mobilization of both
active and reserve forces with fully funded and fully
stocked spares in supply.

Wartime Objective "Sustained" UTE Rate
= Sustained UTE rates represent another Command goal for
planning purposes. After a 45 day surge operation in
wartime, the immediate demand for airlift decreases
somewhat and a greater percentage of needed equipment
arrives by ship. AMC plans to fly at a lower operational
tempo known as a sustained UTE rate.

This reduced rate is based upon normal duty days, 100%
active and reserve participation, and the accomplishment
of maintenance activities deferred in the surge period.

Note: For major wartime operations we recommend
planners use the wartime objective surge UTE
rates published in table 6. For non-mobilized
contingencies we recommend the contingency USE
rates published in table 6. The computations

involved
in determining actual USE rates is quite involved
and not necessary for initial gross planning
stimates.

Fleet Capability (short tons delivered to the
theater per day)

= (average payload) x (number of aircraft)t x (USE
rate)(RTFT)

Note: This formula is preferred for deliberate
planning because it accurately relates the
variables affecting the deployment of forces.

Fleet Capacity (million ton-miles per day)

= number of x block x average x UTE x productivity

aircraft speed payload rate factor .

1,000,000

Note: Although this formula is not commonly used
by planners, occasionally we need to convert
short ton figures into million ton-miles per day
(MTM/D). AMC force structure programmers use
MTM/D when funding out-year aircraft purchases,
and many civilian agencies are accustomed to
visualizing our fleee capability in terms of
MTM/D. Fleet Capacity is generally more
optimistic than actual Fleet Capability for a
particular contingency.

Airfield Throughput Capability (station
capability)

= (MOG) x (average payload) x (operating hours)(ground time)

X 85% queuing efficiency

Note: Use the lower of either the working, parking, or
fuel MOG

Air Refueling Formulas

Refer to tables 10, 11 and 12 for determining the approximate
number of tankers required to meet the air refueling requirements
for various size fighter/airlift deployments. These tables were
constructed using average/historical data and will provide a
gross estimate of the size and duration of an air refueling
operation. If actual mission specifics and data are known, such
as aircraft model, configuration, air refueling altitude,
airspeed, tanker basing, etc, using the formulas below will
provide more accurate planning estimates. However, this formula
does not consider specific air refueling abort reserves and its
impact on destination fuel. As stated in the introduction we
recommend using computer simulation models whenever feasible.

Offload Required (per receiver)

= (dist / TAS x fuel flow) - total fuel + dest resv

dist
= total distance from takeoff to landing

TAS = average airspeed of receiver leg (use AFP
10-1403

Table 4 Blockspeeds for mobility aircraft or
applicable flight

manual airspeeds for combat aircraft.)

fuel flow = fuel burn rate in lbs/hr

total fuel = total fuel on board at takeoff

dest resv = required fuel reserves at destination

Offload Available (per tanker)

= total fuel - (dist / TAS x fuel flow) - dest
resv

Tankers required

= offload required

offload available

Aeromedical Evacuation Formulas (AE)

Use the following formulas and data in table 13 to determine
the AE force and capabilities. The primary strategic AE aircraft
are the B-767, and the C-141. The C-130 and C-9A are the primary
tactical AE aircraft. An AE crew consists of 2 flight nurses and
3 medical technicians.

As an example of how to use the formulas and planning
factors in this pamphlet, assume the following scenario. The 10th
Mountain Div. out of Ft. Drum, NY, is to deploy to Kathmandu,
Nepal, at the foot of the Himalayas, to assist in earthquake
relief. The requirement is to move 700 personnel and 800 short
tons of cargo.

Suitable Airfield.

Referring to the Aircraft Airfield Requirements table, we
see that the B747 requires a minimum of 6,600 feet of runway and
the C-141 requires a minimum of 6,000 feet. Since the airfield at
Ft. Drum, Wheeler-Sack AAF, does not have the required runway
length, we choose a nearby alternative, Griffiss AFB, with a
runway length of 11,820.

Note: Refer to the HQ AMC Airfield Suitability Report
(ASR) to determine suitability. If the airfield does not appear
in the ASR, contact your MAJCOM DOTV and request the airfield be
evaluated for use by airlift aircraft. Your MAJCOM DOTV will
provide prompt feedback and include suitability information in
future editions of the ASR.

Looking in the Kathmandu area, we find Tribhuvan
International airport in Kathmandu to have 10,121 feet of run way
which, along with the associated taxiways and ramp, is stressed
for B747 aircraft. So, we make our initial plans based on using
Griffiss AFB as the onload and Tribhuvan International as the
offload.

Missions Required. Our examples will
address only the cargo requirements, however passenger movement
would be handled in a similar manner. For all examples to follow
we will assume we have 40-C141s apportioned for our use.

= Cargo requirement
Avg payload

= 800 stons .19 stons per C-141

= 42 C-141 equivalent missions

Time to arrival. The time required
for cargo/pax to arrive at the offload location including
all enroute ground times. For this example the C-141's
will depart McGuire (KWRI), fly to Griffiss (KRME) for
onload, then enroute stop at Rota (LERT), Dhahran (OEDR),
Delhi, (VIDP), and then offload at Tribhuvan (VNKT).
Refer to definitions and tables as needed.

Cycle Time. For this example we calculated
round trip flying time (RTFT) and round trip ground time (RTGT)
using reverse routing except the last leg will be from Rota
(LERT) to McGuire (KWRI). Refer to definitions for RTFT and RTGT.

Airfield Throughput Capability. It is
necessary to look at the throughput capability of all airfields
associated with a deployment, to determine whether any one
airfield limits a planned operation. However, for initial
planning, the enroute locations may be assumed to have a higher
throughput capability than the onload and offload locations. For
this example we have used Tribhuvan International and a working
MOG of 1narrow body (NB) aircraft.

Airfield Throughput capability (i.e.,
Tribhuvan)

= (MOG) x (average payload) x (operating
hours)(ground time)

= (1) x
(19 stons) x (24) x (85% queuing efficiency)
(2.25)

= 172.3 stons/day (Refer to able 8)

Note: Since the arrival airfield can handle
more throughput than will be delivered, this
calculation is complete. If the throughput had
exceeded the airfield's ability to receive it,
either the flow would need to be slowed (and
throughput decreased) to compensate or the
airfield's resources increased to handle the
airflow.